The Ultimate Guide to Sankey Charts: Visualizing Flow between Systems and Processes

Sankey charts are a powerful and versatile visualization tool that can be used to show the flow of materials, energy, information, or other variables between different systems or processes. They are particularly useful in showing how different components of a system interact and transform one form to another. In this guide, we will explore the basics of Sankey chart creation, as well as a few examples of how they can be used to help better understand complex systems.

What is a Sankey Chart?

A Sankey chart is a type of flowchart that is named after its creator, Charles Sankey, a consulting engineer who developed the chart in the early 20th century. Sankey charts are particularly useful for showing the flow of materials, energy, information, or other variables between different systems or processes.

One of the key characteristics of Sankey charts is that they use arrows and circles to represent the flow of materials or information between different nodes or boxes on the chart. The arrows are typically directed from the input nodes (such as raw materials or sources of information) to the output nodes (such as final products or destinations), and the circles can be used to represent processes or transformations that occur along the way.

Sankey chart creation can be done using a variety of software tools, such as Visio, Lucidchart, or Gliffy. Many of these tools also offer pre-built libraries of Sankey chart templates to make it easier to get started.

Applications of Sankey Charts

Sankey charts can be used to visualize a wide variety of systems and processes, including:

1.能源流动： Sankey charts can be used to show the flow of energy between different components of a system, such as power plants, refineries, or distribution networks.
2.物料流动： Sankey charts can be used to show the flow of materials or raw components between different manufacturing processes or supply chains.
3.信息流动： Sankey charts can be used to show the flow of information or data between different parts of an organization, such as marketing, sales, or customer service.
4.水循环： Sankey charts can be used to show the flow of water between different components of a water system, such as treatment plants, irrigation systems, or water distribution networks.
5.生物循环： Sankey charts can be used to show the flow of materials or energy between different components of a biological system, such as food chains or ecosystems.

Example of Sankey Chart:

Here is an example of a Sankey chart that shows the flow of water between different components of a water supply system:

As you can see, this chart shows the flow of water from sources (such as rainwater runoff or surface water) through a series of treatment plants and distribution networks, before reaching different end-uses such as households, agriculture, and industry.

Conclusion

Sankey charts are a powerful and flexible visualization tool that can be used to show the flow of materials, energy, information, or other variables between different systems or processes. They are particularly useful for showing how different components of a system interact and transform one form to another. With their easy-to-use software tools and pre-built templates, Sankey charts can be quickly and easily created to help better understand complex systems.

SankeyMaster

SankeyMaster is your go-to tool for creating complex Sankey charts . Easily enter data and create Sankey charts that accurately reveal intricate data relationships.